


we both should believe the path that we chose

by emilia_kaisa



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: 15DaysChallenge, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Friendship, Gen, Implied Suicide Attempt, Legends, Not Beta Read, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 04:42:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18358841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilia_kaisa/pseuds/emilia_kaisa
Summary: Nathan leaned against the railing and looked down at the river below him, and then his gaze travelled to the opposite bank, to the beautiful city spreading in front of him. He swallowed hard, thinking about how in four days he would be responsible for all of the people living there, for the entire kingdom.The thought made him a little bit sick.He wasn't ready to be a king. To be honest, he had never wanted to be one.





	we both should believe the path that we chose

**Author's Note:**

> There's a brand new ship in my fleet! This story is an au, but you bet I have more to come hah  
> English is not my first language, I'm sorry for any mistakes. Title stolen from 'You and me' by Jake Bugg.  
> Hope you enjoy!

“Our deepest condolences, prince Nathan.” the tall man said, bowing his head, his expression honest “Your father was truly a remarkable king, and we all will miss him and his wisdom.”

“Thank you, ambassador.” Nathan smiled, trying not to show how tired he was “Your words mean a lot to me and this kingdom.”

The ambassador bowed once again before leaving the throne room and Nathan rubbed his eyes. He was feeling numb and tired, and a little bit surreal.

“Please tell me it was the last one.” he said and Michal gave him a half smile.

“The last one for today.”

“Great.” Nathan said, hopping off of the throne that in a few days would be rightfully his “I'm going to my place, if-”

“Nate.” Michal cut him off gently “You're holding on?”

“Sure.” Nathan smiled at his advisor, a man who had taught him almost everything he knew “I'm fine. Just tired.”

 

 

Nathan wasn't fine.

He leaned against the railing and looked down at the river below him, and then his gaze travelled to the opposite bank, to the beautiful city spreading in front of him. He swallowed hard, thinking about how in four days he would be responsible for all of the people living there, for the entire kingdom.

The thought made him a little bit sick.

He wasn't ready to be a king. To be honest, he had never wanted to be one.

“Hey.” he heard a familiar voice coming from behind him and Nathan smiled to himself.

“You ran away from the kitchen or what?” he asked, turning his head to look at his friend, and Misha smiled.

“The place basically turned into a bakery and all the ladies kicked me out.”

They were friends for years now, since they had been children and Misha was the only one who wasn't afraid of the king's son and who actually punched him in the face once for being a patronising asshole.

“It's crazy out there. Before the coronation.” Misha added quietly and Nathan felt a bit nauseous.

“They should make Marin the queen.” Nathan said, thinking about his cousin “She would be so much better than me.”

“You're going to be a great king, Nate.”

Nathan didn't think that, he didn't think that at all, but he didn't say anything. They had talked about it so many times already, and Misha knew very well that Nathan didn't feel ready to be a king, and that now he was terrified, and it shoudn't have happened so rapidly, and his father should be alive and rule for the next twenty years.

But now, it was his duty. His responsibility.

He didn't want to think about it now, so he decided to change topic.

“When are you going home?”

Misha shifted, his expression clouding.

“I don't know yet. In a few days.” he said, squeezing Nathan's shoulder “After it's- after all it's done.”

Misha's hometown was a small village on the coast, and that was a place he had spent most of his childhood in. When he had been nine years old his mom got a job at the castle and brought him with her, and that was how Nathan had gotten himself his best friend.

“I wish I could go with you.” he murmured and Misha smiled, soft.

“Me too.” he said, his eyes shining, but then he cleared his throat “If you ever want to visit me, you just have to sail down the river, and when you reach othe ocean you have to turn left and go along the coast. It's a day of sailing from there if the wind is good.”

“Okay.” Nathan said softly “I will remember that.”

A silence fell on them, light and airy, like the small wind that was fanning their faces. Misha's expression was thoughtful, and Nathan could tell what he was thinking about, he always did.

“Nothing's going to change.” Nathan said quietly, and Misha turned to look at him “You're still my best friend.”

Misha smiled, but Nathan could swear there was a flicker of sadness in his eyes.

“I know.”

 

 

Nathan rubbed his temples, feeling incoming headache, and he smiled at the delegation that was just about to leave the throne room. He could tell that most of the ambassadors was really honest, saddened by the death of his father. He appreciated it, he really did, but he was still feeling numb inside.

Him and his father were never too close, but they loved each other, and Nathan missed him so terribly.

Michal's discreet cough brought him back to reality, and Nathan looked at his advisor, who raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“I'm good.” Nathan smiled and Michal nodded. He glanced at the list he was holding and Nathan could swear he saw a flash of disgust on his face.

Three seconds later he undersood a reason for that.

“King Morozov with his family.” Michal announced and Nathan flinched. He had met the king only once in his life before and he wasn't looking to seeing him again.

“Prince Nathan.” Morozov smiled, barely bowing his head “My deepest condolences.”

His tone didn't match his words, and Nathan clenched his teeth.

“Thank you, king Morozov. I appreciate it.” he nodded, his gaze travelling to two women standing behind Morozov. They were both young, pretty, with pale smiled and dimmed eyes.

“My wife.” the king said, pointing one of them “And my daughter, Anastasia.”

The girl flinched, looking almost scared, and Nathan felt a sting of compassion. He opened his mouth to form another polite sentence, but Morozov was faster, taking a step closer.

“Prince Nathan, there is something I need to talk to you about before your coronation.”

“Speak then.”

“Me and your father, we had an agreement. About creating an unbreakable union between our kingdoms.”

Nathan blinked, not understanding anything, but Michal moved a bit closer to him, looking startled.

“I'm afraid I don't understand.”

“I'll explain everything, my prince.” Morozov said, his voice polite, but smirk unpleasant “Me and your father promised each other that our children would marry, to make the union between our kingdoms even stronger.”

Nathan felt like laughing hysterically, because that sounded ridiculous. He was exhausted and sleep- deprived, mourning his father, he was about to become a king, and now there was someone telling him he was supposed to get married.

Morozov cleared his throat and Nathan realized that he was just sitting there, silent, and he had no idea what to say.

Then, he started to panic, but luckily he had Michal by his side.

“Excuse me, king Morozov.” Michal said politely, hiding his distatste masterfully “I hope you will forgive us asking, but do you have any proof for that?”

“Are you questioning me?” Morozov spat out.

“I wouldn't dare.” Michal said and Nathan felt like a small kid in a need of protection “But I hope you understand our surprise, prince Nathan had never heard about it.”

“I understand.” Morozov nodded “But me and prince's father had an agreement, that was only between the two of us.” he said with a smirk, and Nathan's stomach dropped “And as long as you're alive, you need to fulfill it, or-”

Nathan was a smart guy. He knew what it all meant.

“Very well.” he said, feeling dizzy and trying his best not to show it “I need to think about it.”

“Of course.” Morozov said, smiling like he knew he won “I will be waiting for your answer.”

Morozov and his family left, and Nathan felt like he was going to puke.

“Nate-”

“Do you think he's lying?”

“I believe so.” Michal nodded “Your father wouldn't make a deal like that without telling anyone, especially not with him. He's just using the situation. That marriage would give him a chance to influence our politics somehow.”

“I think the same.” Nathan nodded, his mind becoming clearer and clearer with every second, like it was just another problem he had to solve “But he made it clear that if I refuse, he'll look at it as if I broke an important agreement. Like I dishonoured him. And that-”

“- that would be enough to make a full conflict out of it.”

Nathan couldn't let that happen.

“I'm done for today, I need to think.” he said hollowly and Michal gave him a worried look “Don't worry, I'm fine. Inform the counsel for me, okay?”

“Of course.”

He took the staircase that was used by servants, he really didn't want to bump in any of the officiials and-

\- and he crashed into someone, and before he could say anyting he felt a familiar arm wrapping around his shoulders.

“Nate? Are you okay?” Misha asked, his voice full of concern.

And with that, Nathan finally started to falling apart.

“I need air.” he wheezed and two minutes later he was sitting in the garden, Misha's hand moving on his back soothingly.

“What's going on? You're scaring me.”

So Nathan told him, his voice catching in his throat as reality started catching up.

“I basically have a choice between marrying her and having Morozov on my back till the rest of days, or I refuse and let him yell how I disrespect _the holy agreement._ ”

“Wha- what?” Misha gaped, his expression stunned and eyes helpless “What?”

“I need to give him answer tomorrow.” Nathan said quietly, more to himself “Coronation is in two days. I need to-”

“Nate.” Misha interrupted him, taking his hand “What are you going to do?”

“I-” Nathan hesitated, because he didn't have an answer. Could he really spend his life with that girl, whose eyes were big and sad, and terrified? Could he let Morozov have influence in his kingdom?

Could he be with someone he didn't love, someone who he wouldn't love, because-

“I don't know.” he whispered “I don't-” he trailed off, thinking about what Morozov had said.

_As long as you're alive, you need to fulfill it._

Something cliked inside his head as his heart stuttered.

There was nothing to say, anymore, so Nathan just leaned forward, pressing his forehead to Misha's shoulder and exhaling deeply.

He was nineteen years old. He shouldn't have to make those choices.

“Hey.” Misha muttered, rubbing his back soothingly “It's going to be okay.”

“I know.” Nathan said, drawing back and looking at his familiar face, and wishing he could say something more.

He couldn't.

“Thank you.” was everything he said, and Misha gave him a small, confused smile.

“For what?”

“Everything.” Nathan said, quiet, and he could swear he saw Misha blush slightly in the dim light of the evening.

“It's just me.” he said, shrugging a bit awkwardly, and Nathan couldn't help but smile.

It was always just them.

“I'll see you tomorrow.” Nathan said, softly, and it was the first time he lied to him.

 

* * *

 

The ocean was especially beautiful that day, sunlight dancing on small waves, the sound of water meeting the sand calming in Misha's ear. He felt like he could just look at it forever.

It had been three weeks.

Three weeks since everything had ended and since Misha came back home, not being able to stay in the castle with his friend not being there anymore.

His friend, his best friend, and Misha had never fooled himself with dreams that they could be more. He was a rational guy, a fisherman, a servant. Nate was, had been-

It didn't matter, anymore.

Marin was the queen now, a good one, Misha could already tell. Morozov had left the kingdom even before her coronation, not gaining anything, leaving the grieving country behind.

They had never found the body, but there were witnesses.

Misha couldn't believe Nate had done that, and he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed anything. Maybe he could've stopped him, do something, anything.

Now, it was too late, and he could just sit there and stare at the ocean in front of him, wondering when he would stop feeling numb.

There was a shuffling of the sand close to him- probably his sister coming to gently remind him to eat something, so Misha didn't even turn, staring into the distance.

“It's nice in here.”

It wasn't his sister.

Slowly, he turned around.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by a Polish legend, and literal translation of its title is 'about Wanda, who didn't want to marry a German'. In the most popular version she drowns after throwing herself into Vistula river. I added the almost- love- story and a happy ending, because who needs more pain, right?  
> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked it!


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